Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 451 "The Tin Coin Emperor" and "The Town Lord"

A slight commotion and whispers arose from the audience, as many people craned their necks to get a better look at the little thing in his hand.

Lionel continued, “'Tin coins' were issued by large corporations such as mining companies, and they could only circulate in remote towns where laborers congregated.”

You can only use it to buy food, clothes, pay rent, and even find a woman. Although the numbers on it are followed by 'cents,' their purchasing power is completely different.

Prices in small towns are usually much higher than outside—we've calculated that some things are even more expensive than in Paris!

This statement caused an uproar in the audience. Those who came to listen to the speech were all wealthy people, and naturally knew what the price level was like in Paris.

Lionel's tone was calm, but the weight of each word was made heavy by the facts it carried.

"These miners exchanged their sweat, and perhaps even their lives, for these metal pieces, so they cannot leave the town because the outside world does not recognize them."

And so, they were locked firmly to the edge of the mine, locked to that land shrouded in coal smoke.

But someone told me it was 'to protect them,' to prevent them from 'foolishly' squandering real money.

The audience fell silent; the previous commotion vanished, replaced by a stifling stillness, and some people's expressions became somewhat unnatural.

In the United States during the 1880s, the "corporate token" system was so prevalent that it was almost ubiquitous, from coal mines in the North to forest farms and ranches in the South.

Not only are there metal tokens, but also paper tokens, and some large ranches in the south even issue leather tokens.

Now that a foreigner has pointed this out so bluntly, he immediately felt a little embarrassed—especially since the foreigner was French!

Lionel put down the tin coin and scanned the room: "This is what I see of America, a country that has built a new prison of slavery in the name of 'freedom' and 'contract'!"

This country, just 20 years ago, fought a brutal civil war to free the slaves, resulting in the deaths of over 60 people!

The entire room fell silent; they were unable to refute it, or even to express their anger.

Lionel then turned to his recent experience: "On the train to San Francisco, I was robbed, but that didn't surprise me at all."

To my surprise, something else happened: in Windbreak Town, I unexpectedly got involved in the mayoral election…

Mentioning Windbreak Town caused another stir in the audience. The story from the newspapers had already spread, but even though the media portrayed Lionel as a hero, the audience still looked sullen.

Lionel, however, appeared relaxed: "That election was full of suspicion, threats, rumors, and even turned into street shootouts."

Both sides considered the other an enemy that must be eliminated, and both believed themselves to be righteous, so they both took up arms.

I am not the kind of hero described in the newspapers. I am just a bystander who was lucky enough to escape being shot.

What I saw was a thirst for power, along with fear and distrust of the voting results—all of which outweighed respect for the rules.

Ladies and gentlemen, I come from Europe, from France. We have ancient traditions, but also heavy burdens.

We have experienced revolution, empire, and republic, shedding countless drops of blood, in an attempt to find a path to a better society.

We've made many mistakes, and we're still figuring things out. America, on the other hand, is new. It doesn't have the heavy historical burden we do.

It is vibrant, powerful, and fearless—but vitality cannot replace morality, and wealth cannot define civilization!

Lionel raised the tin coin in his hand again—

“If you allow something like ‘tin coins’ to deprive people of their rights under the guise of ‘freedom,’ then the freedom you cherish is hypocritical!”

If your votes are based on who has the most firepower, rather than on reason and rules, then your republic is fragile and dangerous!

"Believe me, a Frenchman has far more experience in this area than an American!"

This remark finally eased the atmosphere a bit, and many people laughed.

But what Lionel said next completely extinguished their laughter—

"Indeed, the United States has no emperor, no hereditary nobles, no feudal lords; you have replaced the crown and scepter with the Constitution and the ballot."

But, ladies and gentlemen, in my opinion, every big boss who issues this kind of 'tin coin' is an 'emperor' without a crown!
Their power, especially in controlling the life, death, and freedom of their people within their 'empire,' is greater and more unbridled than that of any traditional monarch!

At least, I haven't heard of any monarchy issuing a currency that can't be normally exchanged for other countries' currencies.

A suppressed gasp and commotion erupted from the audience; many faces changed color, but Lionel did not stop—

"And what did I see in a place like Windbreak Town? A mayor, relying on intimidation and bribery, occupying his position year after year."

He regarded the entire town as his private property, so how was he essentially different from a 'feudal lord'?
However, his weapons had changed from a longsword and armor to a ballot box and a revolver.

A deathly silence fell over the hall. The air seemed to freeze.

These accusations directly challenged the very foundations of the American system that the country is so proud of. Some listeners showed anger, while others were shocked and ashamed.

Lionel surveyed the silence and noticed the stiff expressions on the faces of the upper-class gentlemen and ladies in the front row.

“Every day my friends and I set foot on this land, in New York, in Boston, in Pittsburgh, and even here, in San Francisco…”

We received the warmest welcome and the most generous hospitality. We tasted the finest wines, visited the most magnificent buildings, and heard the most beautiful praises—

We believe that all of this stems from your pride in America’s achievements, and that you hope to move us, the foreigners who have come from afar.

I must say, you succeeded, and we were truly moved. But what moved us even more, and what made our trip worthwhile, was the real America.

That living, breathing, struggling, and contradictory America—the America we see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears—

These were immigrants in the hold of the Perel, huddled together, enduring turbulence, stench, and hunger, as they sailed across the ocean in search of hope in America.

It was a grand welcoming procession at the New York docks that led us on a tour of America’s industrial wonders, both completed and still under construction.
They were workers in the Cornellville mines, clutching 'tin coins,' their faces covered in coal dust, and in America where they might never be able to step out of their small town in their entire lives;

It's like the townspeople in Storm's End standing facing off with weapons, mercilessly exchanging fire in the name of 'electing' a mayor—a scene reminiscent of the American drama…

Lionel's voice echoed in the theater—

"It is these unpackaged sights and sounds that make us feel, in a rough and harsh way, that what we are dealing with is not a polished, shiny 'perfect toy' that can only be displayed in a shop window for people to admire."
It is a living, breathing country, with warmth, a pulse, flaws, and of course, hope!

This is a country that we French people should visit and tour with care!

That's all for my presentation, thank you everyone!

His words trailed off.

The entire room fell into a suffocating silence; not even a cough was heard.

All listeners need time to process Lionel's words—which contain both sharp criticism and sincere praise.

Then, from somewhere, the first round of applause rang out, crisp and loud.

Immediately afterwards, a second, a third... the applause spread rapidly like wildfire, becoming enthusiastic and sustained.

The applause wasn't simply agreement with Lionel's views; it was more like a sincere tribute to his honesty.

Many of those who had just looked indignant were now clapping enthusiastically.

Lionel bowed slightly and stepped down from the podium.

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Lionel Sorel's speech in San Francisco spread rapidly throughout the United States through the media.

The following day, and in the days that followed, major influential newspapers on both the East and West coasts devoted significant space to reporting the French writer’s “astonishing remarks.”

An editorial in the New York Tribune stated:

Mr. Sorel was not as satisfied with the feast and flowers we offered as some other European visitors.

He saw the festering wounds beneath our glamorous facade—the “tin coin” slavery and electoral violence—but that was not America’s shame.

The real shame is that when these guests who have come from afar leave, all they remember is the taste of the steak and the perfume from the ball.

If the visit of these distinguished French guests to the United States ultimately degenerates into a hypocritical tour of flattery, then that would prove that the United States is terminally ill and beyond saving!
Therefore, we should thank Mr. Sorel for his frankness!

The San Francisco Chronicle commented:
He called the capitalists who issued 'tin coins' 'emperors' and accused certain local officials of being 'feudal lords'.

Are these words harsh? Yes, they are very harsh, but they also reveal truths that should shame all Americans!

Are the heads of emperors or kings, which we have never severed, growing back on our land in another form?

Of course, some newspapers closely associated with major corporations, such as the Industrial Herald, launched a fierce attack on Lionel.

They accused him of "distorting the facts," "generalizing from limited evidence," and "as a foreigner, having no understanding of the national conditions and superiority of the United States."

It even implied that he was "instructed by certain anti-American forces" to "smear America's great industrial achievements."

They vehemently defended the "token" system, calling it "a necessary means to maintain order in the mining area and protect the livelihoods of workers."

The incident in Windbreak Town was also downplayed as an "isolated incident in a specific region."

However, these voices did not sway public opinion. Instead, newspapers across the United States began to follow up and discuss the legality of "tokens" and election violence.

"Tin Coin Emperor" and "Town Lord" became popular terms, widely used to criticize economic monopolies and local political corruption.

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In John Pierpont Morgan's luxurious office on Wall Street in New York, he placed a newspaper on the table and tapped the headline with his finger.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was full of threat: "So, Andrew, those robbers, you really didn't send them the bounty?"

Andrew Carnegie, sitting opposite him, had his shirt soaked through with sweat.

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(End of this chapter)